School Lunch Ideas

School lunches.

How did you feel when you read those two words?

If you’re anything like me, then the phrase school lunches strikes fear into the
core of your very being. Day after day
after day, packing those lunches can feel like a never-ending (and rarely
thankful) chore!

Although time is always a factor for me, my
biggest issue has always been coming up with new school lunch ideas that fit my
criteria of a good lunch:

Filling: I have hungry boys that
gulp down food – no small, snack-filled, ‘picking’ lunches will do!

Delicious: Ok, maybe I’m
overstating “delicious” but at the very least they need to be something my kids will eat!

Nutritious: When I’m looking to feed my
kids, I challenge myself to choose a variety of options in order to offer the most nutrition. I also include organic choices wherever I can fit them into my budget

I know I’m not alone in my school lunch
loathing, so I have compiled a few tips and tricks to make lunches delicious
and filling (I also have a few recipes so make sure you read all the way to the
end!).

When buying pre-packaged, buy organic – I strongly believe that purchasing and consuming organic foods is
so important but the cost of organics can be prohibitive. If you’re like me,
then you are constantly weighing the cost of a product and trying to make the
best choices you can. Families are all on budgets, and that’s why I’m so
excited about Walmart’s new line of Great Value Organic products. They’re certified
Canadian organic and – here’s my favourite part – I
can afford them!!! My kids get to eat
their favourite lunch foods, but I get the satisfaction of knowing that they
are eating pesticide free, organic options that
don’t break my bank account. It’s a win-win.

Cook extras – I cook dinner for my family
every evening and, although it takes a bit of pre-planning, cooking extras
makes school lunch packing so easy! Both of my boys are obsessed with noodles,
so I always cook extra pasta (I love the Great Value Organic Spaghetti
– it cooks in 10 minutes). Once cooked, I place it in the fridge so it is ready
to throw into a lunch with some leftover chicken or bacon at a moment’s notice.

Keep it simple – Use my
three “must haves” (filling, delicious, nutritious) as a mental checklist when
packing lunches but don’t make it hard on yourself. Keep healthy, easy-to-grab lunch essentials
on hand (I love Great Value Organic’s Apple Cranberry Chewy Granola Bars – they
have 12g of whole grains per bar!),
and have them ready to toss into a lunch bag.

Variety {is the spice of life!} – Don’t get stuck in a sandwich-only rut! Think outside the bread and
come up with a few easy lunch ideas that are sure to be gobbled up (check out
my recipe for Overnight Oats below). Rotate lunches and keep your kids
guessing! Even better, get them to help you pack their lunch bag by giving them
healthy options and choices.

Now for some of my no-fail lunch box ideas that
you can start using today.

Try either of these main (non-sandwich!) lunch
ideas, along with some of my favourite snack options, a piece of
fresh fruit and some whole grain crackers and your lunch box is good to go!

The ‘Noodley’ Lunch

If you have little (or big) noodle monsters in
your house, this is a fantastic lunch box option that is sure to fill hungry
bellies and make you feel great about feeding your family with quality,
organic, homemade food!

What you need:

½ package Great Value Organic Spaghetti

½ cup Great Value Organic Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce

2 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

Cheddar cheese, grated (optional)

Frozen corn or peas (optional)

What to do:

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
Drain and set aside.

In a small saucepan, add spaghetti sauce and the
finely chopped basil leaves. Warm on medium heat until simmering.

Add the cooked pasta into the sauce until the
pasta is coated. Do not over sauce the noodles (remember: this will be in your
child’s lunch and you don’t want them to come home covered in tomato sauce).

If
desired, add one handful of frozen corn or peas.

Remove from heat and place in a thermos or
lunch container.

Garnish with grated cheddar cheese.

Tip: Use this as an opportunity
to add in your child’s favourite veggie. If they don’t enjoy peas or corn, add
some lightly steamed broccoli, cherry tomatoes or a handful of spinach leaves.
Switch up the cheddar for baby bocconcini or grated parm. Once you have the
base of this recipe down, the sky’s the limit

Yum, Yum, Yum!

The ‘Breakfast for Lunch’ Lunch

This is amazingly wholesome, unbelievably delicious and oh-so-easy to make! Your kids will love it and you
will love how easy it is to make for school lunches.

Now that you have some new ideas for
scrumptious school lunch main dishes, take the time to stock your pantry withdelicious add-ins.

Remember to keep tasty and filling snacks on hand to compliment your child’s lunch and keep
them satisfied all day long. I am particularly in love with the affordable options from Walmart’s exclusive Great Value Organic line. Pop some organic
popcorn (and sprinkle it with a teaspoon of cinnamon and sugar for an extra
special lunch treat!) and include an apple cranberry chewy granola bar or two
chocolate chip cookies (they’re peanut free!). All are great additions to any school lunch and they are easy and affordable for parents. Head to
your nearest Walmart or visit www.walmart.ca/greatvalue to see
these great products!

Disclaimer: This post is
sponsored by Walmart Canada, as part of the Great Value Organics program. In
exchange for this review, I have received special perks in the form of products
and/or compensation. All opinions on this blog are my own.

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